The invention relates to an apparatus for clearing an off road path in deep snow. In particular, the invention is directed to a trailable snow plow for off road use.
It is necessary for the military to perform maneuvers over different terrains and under various adverse conditions which can be realistically expected. For example, it may be necessary to move wheeled equipment off the road in heavy snow conditions. Thus, some sort of snow removal equipment is necessary.
It is generally undesirable to design new equipment or to modify existing equipment, to perform specialized tasks. It is most desirable to employ devices adapted for use with currently available equipment. For example it is undesirable to have a specialized snow removal vehicle. It is undesirable, but less so, to modify a vehicle to carry a plow on the front of the vehicle. To do this, it is necessary to provide a complicated support and lifting mechanism on the vehicle. For military purposes, this is undesirable and unacceptable. Further, front mounted snow plows are designed primarily for roadways and have a tendency to dig in when they encounter an obstacle. Accordingly, a front mounted plow is unworkable for off-road military purposes.
Most military vehicles have means provided for pulling or trailering specialized heavy equipment without requiring additional equipment or a power take-off. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a snow plow which may be pulled by a vehicle and thereby provide an adequate path for the equipment which follows.
It is also important to consider that during maneuvers of the kind described, the use of heavy equipment for removing snow in rough terrain can cause adverse environmental effects. For example, in permafrost regions the heavy equipment can damage the upper terrain surface, and the adverse effects may not be realized until the Spring thaw. Thus, ecologically benign equipment is desirable.
It is also important for the equipment to be fairly mobile. Heavy construction equipment which might be effective to remove snow is too slow or may not be available for military deployment purposes. Accordingly, in most cases, off road access for wheeled military vehicles and equipment is not a practical expedient in deep snow during the winter.